Laundry washing machine



March 17, 1931. c. BURROWS LAUNDRY WASHING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1FIG].

Filed May 2, 1930 March 17, 1931. c. BURROWS LAUNDRY WAS HING MACHINEFiled May 2. 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 17, 1931 CHARLESBURROWS, BLACKHEATH, LONDON, ENGLAND LAUNDRY WASHING MAGHIN EApplication filed May 2, 1930, Serial No. 449,325, and in Great BritainMay '14, 1929.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple, convenient andefiicient laundry machine suitable for washing collars, cuffs and othersmall articles. 9 According to the invention theximproved machinecomprises a brush or other appropriate rubbing member mounted to rotateover a suitable work-supporting table, means for delivering water andsoap or other cleansing agent to said brush, and means whereby thework-supporting table can be moved towards the said rotary brush orrubbing member.

The work-supporting table is arranged to slide relatively to the rotarybrush or bubbing member in order that by moving the said table theentire surface of an article laid thereon can be subjected to the actionof the rotary brush, or rubbing member. Conveniently, the table ispressed by spring pressure away from the rubbing member or brush, andwith advantage the said spring ressure isadjustable.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying il- .lustrative drawings show amachine embodythe invention in front elevation, side elev ition, andplan, respectively.

Fig. 1 is a sectional and elevation of the work-supporting table and ofthe guides in which it slides. a

Fig. 5 is a transverse section through the work table showing therollers on which it works.

The machine comprises a rectangular or other shaped tank I mounted onlegs 2 and fitted with a steam heating pipe .3 and a drain pipe 5,Sliding through a suitable gland 6 fixed to the bottom of the tank ,is avertical rod- 7 the lower end of which is connected by a link 8 to oneend of a treadle lever 9 .on a :shaft 10 mounted in bearings carried bycross members 11 fixed to the supporting legs .2. The upper end of thesliding rod7 is pivoted to a bracket 12 depending downwardly from aplatform or frame 13 formed with longitudinal guide ways 14 in which canslide longitudinal runners 1.5 that are fixed to the underside of awork-supporting table 16 arranged to slide 150 to and fro on rollers 17mounted on pins 17 carried in lugs 13 downwardly depending from theplatform or frame 13, see Fig. 5. The platform or frame 13 with the Worktable 16 can be moved upwardly towards a rotary scrubbing brush 18 bypressing down 5.5 the end of the treadle lever 9. Helical springs 19mounted in cylindrical pockets 20 carried by fixed brackets 21, normallymaintain the platform or frame 13 with the work table 16 in a loweredposition, the said springs 19 being mounted on screws 22 extendingaxially through the cylindrical sockets 20. The said screws 22, see Fig.4, are screwed into the underside of the plat form or frame 13, one neareach corner thereof, and the springs 19 each bear at one end on a sleevenut l9 mounted on the vcorresponding screw and on a shoulder 20 of thecorresponding cylindrical pocket 20. The pressure of the springs 19 canbe adjusted readily by manipulation of the sleeve nuts 19*. 22 indicatelock nuts that are tightened up against the sleeve nuts 19 afteradjustment. 7. y V

The scrubbing brush 1,8 is removably mounted on a spindle 23 preferablymade of rustless steel, that rotates in bearings 241 carried by a fixedbracket 25. The machine illustrated is belt driven and for this purposethe spindle 23 has mounted on it a ffixed pulley 26 and a loose pulley27. Belt shifting arms 28 carried by a sliding bar 29 are provided asusual in belt driven machines. The brackets 21 and 25 are mounted on asupporting base 30 carried on the top of the tank 1 at the rear thereof.

23 by a belt on the belt pulleys 37.

At each end of the tank 1 is a curved upstanding splash guard 38 theupper ends of which may be stayed as by rods 39 connected to the piping34. as shown. The curvature of the splash guards is such as to lead theliquid splashed thereon back to the tank 1.

The work-supporting table 16 is furnished with a handle 40 at the sideand projecting from the top of the table is a stud 41 which may beengaged by the button hole of a collar or cuff being washed.

42 indicates a splash gutter fixed to the front edge of the tank 1 anddraining into the tank by means of a pipe 4:3. 44 indicates a smallersplash gutter that also constitutes a guide rail fixed to the front edgeof the treadle-operated rising and falling platform 13. 15 are stopsthat may be fixed to the sliding work table to limit the slidingmovement thereof if desired.

In operation the brush 18 rotates and a supply of hot soapy water isconstantly fed thereto by means of the pump 35 through the piping 34 andtaps 33 during such rotation. The platform of frame 18 with the worktable 16 normally tends to assume its lower position by its own weightassisted by the springs 19 so that there is ample clearance to place anarticle such as a collar or cuff thereon below the brush 18. Theplatform or frame 13 with the work table 16 are then raised by operationof the treadle 9 so that the article is pressed against the roe tatingbrush 18. The work table 16 is then moved to and fro in the guides 14:on the rollers 17 so as to bring every part of the article under theaction of the rotary brush 18. When sufficiently cleaned by the actionof the brush the foot is removed from the treadle 9 whereupon theplatform or frame 13 and work table 16 at once drop so that the articlecan be removed from the work table, another article placed thereon, andthe operation repeated.

In the case of washing the collars and cuffs of shirts, for example, thebody of the shirt may hang down in the tank 1 and the collar or cuffportion thereof be laid over the guide rail gutter 4.4 on to the worktable. In drawing the shirt or the like out of the tank 1 over the frontedge thereof when the washing operation is completed the gutter 42receives the water dropping from the wet shirt or the like and leads itback to the tank 1.

The rotary brush 18 is so mounted on the spindle 23 as to be readilyremovable so that when the bristles have become set in an inclinedposition by use and continued rotation in one direction the brush may bereadily reversed in position on its spindle in order to lengthen itslife.

The brush spindle 23 is extended rearwardly as shown for convenience incases where a motor drive is desired in place of a belt drive.

It will be appreciated that the improved machine is simple to operateand is particularly suitable for washing soft linen said work tabledownwardly away from said brush, and means for raising said work tableagainst the action of said downwardly-pressing means to maintain thearticles to be cleaned in contact with the brush.

2. A laundry machine for washing collars, cuffs and the like, comprisinga rotary brush, a worksupporting table mounted to slide horizontally toand fro below said brush, means for delivering a cleansing solu tion tosaid brush, springs normally pressing said work table downwardly awayfrom said brush, means for adjusting the pressure of said springs, andmeans for raising said work table against the action of said springs tomaintain the articles to be cleaned in contact with the brush.

3. A laundry machine for washing collars, cuffs and the like, comprisinga rotary brush, a work supporting table mounted to slide horizontally toand fro below said brush, means normally pressing said work tabledownwardly away from said brush, means for raising said work tableagainst the action of said downwardly-pressing means, a cleansing liquidtank over which said rotary brush and said sliding work table arelocated, and a pump and conduits to withdraw cleansing fluid from thesaid tank and delivered the same to the rotary brush.

4. A laundry machine as claimed in claim 1, comprising a fixed hoodunder which said rotary brush is located and a funnel carried by saidhood and through which cleansing liquid is delivered to said brush.

5. A laundry machine for washing c0llars, cuffs and the like, comprisinga rotary brush, means for delivering a cleansing liquid to said brush, awork-supporting table, guides within which said table can slidehorizontally to and fro below said brush, a structure to which saidguides are fixed, springs that constantly tend to maintain saidstructure in a lowered position away from said brush, a treadle lever,and mechanism connecting said treadle lever to said structure so that bydepressing said lever the said structure is raised towards said brushagainst the action of said springs.

6. A lanndry machine for washing collars, cuffs and the like comprisinga tank adapted to contain cleansing liquid, a support fixed over saidtank and comprising vertically extending cylindrical pockets, astructure comprising guideways and having downwardly extending screwedrods that extend through the said cylindrical pockets, helical springsmounted on said rods within said pockets, nuts on said rods whereby thetension of said springs can be adjusted, slides mounted to reciprocatein said guideways, a work table carried by said slides, a brush mountedto rotate above said work table, a gland at the bottom of said tank, arod extending Vertically through said gland, the upper end of said rodbeing pivoted to said structure, a pedal located below said tank and toone end of which the lower end of said rod is connected, and a pumpadapted to draw cleansing liquid from said tank and deliver the same tosaid rotary brush.

7. A laundry washing machine as claimed in claim 6 comprising a fixedhood under 7 which the said rotary brush is arranged and funnels carriedby said hood adapted to deliver cleansing liquid on to said brush.

8. A laundry washing machine as claimed in claim 6 comprising a splashgutter fixed to the front upper edge of the said tank and a pipe throughwhich liquid collecting in said splash gutter can flow back into saidtank.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CHARLES BURROWS.

